3 Strikes, You're Mine
by HikariNoTenshi-Crystal
Summary: Hikari Hijiri has come into Nishiura high, and joined the baseball team. She's already known Yuuichiro Tajima since childhood, but now she has an interest in Takaya Abe. Could her life be changing because of him, or is it the other way around? Will they be able to make their love work even though they're from two different parts of society?
1. New Player

**Big Windup!/ Oofuri/ Ookiku Furikabutte (C) Asa Higuchi. OC's (C) HikariNoTenshi-Crystal**

**New Story! Hope you enjoy! R&R please!**

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The sound of a hard ball hitting a metal bat never sounded better than when you knew you were improving. As the Nishiura high school baseball team practiced out in their field, they couldn't be happier! They just won another game in the baseball league! Yet this wasn't what was on most of the guys' minds.

"Hey, have you seen the new transfer student?" Hanai asked curiously.

"She is totally hot!" Sakaeguchi commented with a big smile.

"Really? I haven't seen her!" Tajima said with a pout, hoping he'd seen the new girl.

"Her name is Hikari." Oki told them, flinching as the others pressed him for information. "I just helped her when she got lost." He explained, sighing as the others backed down.

"Hikari," Tajima said rubbing his chin in thought.

"Yeah, Hikari Hijiri." Oki said with a nod of confirmation.

"Hijiri? As in the big company running Japan?" Abe asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't think so; she didn't seem like someone who was related to them." Suyama said with a shake of his head.

"How's that?" Abe asked, becoming interested on the new person.

"Well, her looks. The Hijiri corporations leader had black hair and brown eyes right?" Suyama asked, creating a mental picture for them. "Well, she's not like that at all."

"What does she look like?" Tajima asked, becoming more intrigued, yet less perverted.

"That's her there." Oki said, saving Suyama.

Everybody turned their heads and watched as Chiyo walked next to the new girl. Her long golden blonde hair flowing behind her, and her light blue eyes shined in the light as she smiled and laughed with Chiyo. Her skin was slightly tanned, and she had about the same amount of curves as Momoe had, a smaller chest, but still pretty big.

"What if we get Chiyo to introduce her to us?" Hanai said with a smile, the rest of them smiling wickedly from the thought. But all knew it was just a joke.

"Ah!" Tajima shouted, making the others jumped.

"Oh, are you going to ask?" Sakaeguchi asked with a smirk.

Tajima's face broke into a smile as he raised his arm and waved it around wildly. "Hikari!"

The others all flinched away from him, giving him looks as if he were crazy. Hikari turned in confusion as she looked over the baseball team, making them all blush. Some turned on Tajima, trying to make him shut up before she spotted him.

Her face broke out into a wide smile as her eyes glowed in joy. "Yuu-kun!" She shouted, running across the lawn quickly, and into the field, before jumping and launching herself into Tajima's arms.

She wrapped get arms around his neck and hugged him close, making the others stare in confusion at the relationship between the two. Hikari smiled happily at Tajima, pulling back away from him and looking at him with sparkling eyes.

"It's been so long Yuu-kun!" She said dropping her feet back onto the floor. "I thought you went to this school!"

"What are you doing here? I thought you were being home-schooled?" He asked her, circling around her, his eyes stopping on her chest. "You're chest is huge!" He reached his finger out and poked her chest, making the team's eyes widen in horror and yell out.

"Why you!" Hikari shouted, pinching his cheeks and pulling them out either way. She smacked him over the head, letting him crouch on the floor in pain as he grabbed his head. "You're still the little pervert!"

"Tajima! What are you doing to the poor girl?" Momoe said walking up with narrowed eyes.

"You must be the baseball couch," Hikari said with a smile and extended her hand.

"Maria Momoe," She said with a nod of her head, shaking Hikari's hand.

"I asked Chiyo to bring me down here. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to join the team." Hikari said with a big smile, hoping it will help with becoming a part of Nishiura.

Momoe smiled as she crossed her arms under her chest and looked Hikari in the eye. "What position?" She asked.

Hikari looked around at everyone on the team before shrugging her shoulders. "I can play every position, but I'd rather just help out with the manager. I don't want to take anyone's place."

Hanai let out a curt laugh as he looked at Hikari as if she were imagining things. "Every position? Stop kidding around."

Hikari raised an eyebrow at him, giving a small smile. "Test me," Her eyes gleamed playfully.

Momoe shivered in excitement as her hair bent up into the air with her shivers and her smile turned squiggly. "I like the sound of this."

She grabbed a bat suddenly and a ball and started hitting it on the bat repeatedly, sending it in the air like a paddle ball. She watched Hikari with a gleam in her own eyes, her interest peaking for the girl as Hikari smiled back at her.

Hikari grabbed another bat and ball, and copied Momoe exactly, timing her ball with the Coach's and making the same height with every hit.

"No way," Hanai said, watching the girl smile at Momoe as if this was a game.

"Catcher!" Momoe said, hitting the ball up before slamming it into the air like a catchers pop.

Hikari dropped her bat and ball and grabbed a glove, slipping it on and backing up with it above her face, letting the ball drop into it as if it were nothing.

"Everyone! To your positions!" Momoe called out, holding her bat out to Hikari.

Hikari nodded her head, taking the bat from her and handing Abe his mitt back so he could go back to catching. Mihashi took the mound and looked at Hikari with diverting eyes.

"Hey!" She said, making Mihashi jump in surprise. "I heard you were a great pitcher! Don't take it easy on me okay?" She asked, seeing the proud look in his eye as a faint blush crept across his cheeks.

Mihashi lifted his leg up and slammed it down on the ground as he threw the ball towards her. She watched it hit the mitt.

_It's slow, _She inquired as she looked down at Abe's mitt. _Is he holding back? No I heard he pitch's slow to begin with._

She realized the ball had already been thrown back to Mihashi so she looked up from the mitt she was still staring at and saw Abe watching her with fierce eyes. She had been researching about the team when she found out Nishiura had a new baseball team and she would be going to the school. She knew every player, she just didn't think she'd meet her best childhood friend here.

Mihashi slammed his foot down again, throwing the ball through the air. The ball didn't drop as a normal one would, but as Hikari swung she moved her arms up a bit more, slamming the bat in the middle of the ball. She could feel the slight push of the ball on the metal, and the sound of ball against metal before the ball flew through the air and past the outfield and over the fence, giving her a home run.

Momoe shivered with excitement as she looked at Hikari like she was a gift sent from heaven. She rushed over to Hikari and grabbed the girl's hands, her eyes blazing. "Can you pitch?"

"Wha?" Mihashi said his eyes growing wide and watery. "An-n-no-th-th-ther-r-r-r p-p-p-pitcher?!"

Hikari looked at him with wide eyes as she held up her hands. "That's not…"

"She's not taking your place!" Abe yelled suddenly standing up and walking over to Mihashi, making the young pitcher flinch and start to cry as he shook his head in stubbornness.

Hikari walked up and pulled on Abe's arm, making him stop from getting any closer to Mihashi. "Hold up a second." She went around Abe and pushed her hands onto his chest, pushing him back a couple of steps. "You stay here! Breathe, it'll do you good." She told him, pointing a finger at his face as she stared at him. "Mihashi doesn't like to be yelled at, being his catcher, you should know that."

Abe opened his mouth, but couldn't get a word out as she turned on her heel and crouched down to Mihashi who was on his hands and knees crying.

"Hey, listen," She said, touching his shoulder as she spoke softly. "I'm not going to take your place on the mound. You are a great pitcher, and honestly, I don't like being pitcher."

Mihashi looked at her with tears in his eyes as he pleaded with her with those eyes. Hikari gave him a warm smile that made his eyes widen in wonder and confusion.

"I think I know what you need." She told him, making him look up at her in confusion.

She smiled and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he fell backwards on his butt with her hanging onto his side. He sat there stock still as he looked at her with surprise. Finally he relaxed and put a hand on her back. Hikari leaned back and smiled at him, watching as he started and then smiled back at her. Hikari smiled wider as she leaned forward and kissed Mihashi on his cheek, making him blush and stutter in embarrassment.

"I want a hug!" Tajima said, running up and tackling Hikari to the floor.

"Yuu-kun!" She said laughing, but pushed him up and hugged him back, then kissed his cheek also.

"Stop showing off Tajima!" Hanai shouted, as the team gathered around them.

Hikari looked at Tajima and he looked back at her before both of them broke out into smiles and faced the team with mischievous looks.

"I don't like the look of this," Mizutani said as he raised an eyebrow.

Hikari stood up quickly and wrapped her arms around Hanai's back, making him raise his arms quickly and his face to redden.

"What the?" Hanai said looking down at her.

She smirked up at him and leaned up, kissing his cheek quickly before skipping off to Sakaeguchi, Oki, Izumi, Suyama, Mizutani, and Nishihiro; giving them all the same treatment as she had Mihashi and Tajima. The team was flustered, blushing, and incoherent by the time she was done. She turned on her heel with a proud smirk on her face and looked at Abe as he stood there with his hands up.

"You're the last one," She said taking a step towards him.

Abe put his hands up to try and stop her as she continued to walk towards him with her arms up innocently.

"It's just a hug," She said teasingly.

She pushed forward quickly, kicking off the ground as she used her momentum to fly towards him. He was within her reach as she pushed her arms out and wrapped them around his neck, pulling herself close to him. She felt her feet touch the floor as he took a step back to balance her weight.

"See? Just a hug," She giggled, seeing his face redden as he looked away. "I bet you want the rest too,"

She pushed on her tip toes to kiss his cheek, but he took a step back to try to get away from the kiss, and ended up tripping on his own feet. He fell backwards onto the ground and Hikari fell with him with her arms still locked around his neck. Silence fell over the field as they looked at Hikari and Abe in surprise.

Hikari's and Abe's eyes were wide as they stared at one another, not sure what to do. When they had fallen, Abe had turned his head to watch the ground, and his arm automatically wrapped around Hikari to catch her from being hurt. That slight movement brought Hikari to move over slightly, bringing her lips not to his cheek, but directly on his mouth. Their lips were locked together as he sat back on his butt with his arm around her, and she was in between his legs still hanging onto him.

Hikari pulled back slightly from him as she slid her arms from his neck and stared at him. His brown eyes pierced into her with the same surprise as hers were probably to him. She put her fingers to her lips as she sat back on her feet, a blush creeping on her face slowly.

"Hikari!" Tajima said with his jaw dropped.

Hikari snapped back to herself as she stood up and dusted herself off. She pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear shyly. "So y-you wanted me t-t-to pitch?"

She turned around and walked to the mound, picking up a baseball in the process as she started to mess with it to redirect her mind. She grabbed Tajima's hat off his head, ignoring when he shouted at her to give it back. She pulled it down over her eyes, trying to hide with a shadow over her face.

"Okay, snap out of it! Catch for her Abe!" Momoe said clapping her hands.

Hikari waited for Abe to get back up and into his squatting position, putting his glove in front of him as he tried to calm his own nerves down. He looked up with serious eyes, making her heart start at the intensity of them. She looked down at his hand below and tried to read the signs he was giving her.

"Uh, um, upper left curve ball," Mihashi said speaking up with his chick mouth.

She nodded her head, lifting her leg up and stepping forward with it as she threw a curve ball, hitting directly where he told her to. He stared at the ball in his glove with analyzing eyes, before standing up and walking over to his back. He pulled something out and walked over to her.

"Put these on," He said, holding out a pair of his shorts.

Hikari raised an eyebrow at him and looked down at her skirt, before realizing that she had to lift her leg to pitch, and Abe was crouched down over on the other side of the field for catching. Her face light up bright red as she pushed down on her skirt.

"Here," He said, holding it out to her again.

She took it quickly and slid them on under her skirt, letting her skirt drop to the floor instead. "Yuu, can you hold this?" She asked, tossing her skirt to him. "If you do anything perverted to it, I'm going to kill you,"

She shook her head, looking at Abe as he gave her another sign.

"Lower right, forkball," Mihashi read for her, fidgeting in his spot.

She lifted her leg again this time and slammed it down, throwing a forkball where his glove was. He repeated the action, making her throw a sinker, screwball, slurve, splitter, change up, and a cutter. He tossed it back one more time, and gave her one last sign.

"Straight through the middle, fast ball, let it loose," Mihashi said with a gasp. Momoe walked out with a speed radar, fixing it at the batter's spot.

"Alright," She said, fixing the hat on her head.

She lifted her leg, stepping forward quickly as she slung her arm as hard as she could, throwing the ball with her best speed. The ball flies through the air and smacks into the glove with a thump, leaving Abe squatting there silently.

He stood up quickly and walked quickly over to her, taking his gloves off and grabbing her hands in his own. "You're accuracy is just as great as Mihashi's, and you can throw every type of ball!"

Momoe came up and joined him in grabbing one of her hands. "95 MPH!"

Hikari looked to the side and saw Mihashi panicking over what they were saying, and saw the nervous looks on the rest of the team's faces.

"I don't really want to play, I'd rather help," She told them, tugging her hands.

She winced suddenly as a zap of pain lanced through her arm. Abe looked at her worriedly as he let go of her hand and gently touched her arm.

Tajima walked up and stepped in front of Momoe, taking her right arm and looking closely at it. He looked up at Momoe with an intense stare. "Momo-kan, Hikari can't play baseball because of her arm. She can only pitch for a couple plays and then her arm is shot. She can bat and catch, but she has to be careful with how much she strains her arm."

"Is it a baseball injury?" Momoe asked, looking at her arm carefully.

"No," Tajima said shaking his head. "It was from her…"

Hikari suddenly smacked her hand into his mouth, giving him a strict look, making him shut his mouth and sigh.

"It was just an accident." She told them with a smile.

"You need to get it checked out," Abe said, letting the conversation change.

Tajima ushered her over to Shiga-sensei, setting her down on the bench as he sat behind her. She slid her jacket off to help Shiga-sensei take a look at her shoulder.

"There was some pretty bad damage done to it in the past." He said, pushing on the muscle around her shoulder blade and watching her wince. "What exactly happened to it?"

"Oh, just an accident with my arm getting caught in something," She said, blowing it off quickly before he pressed into it.

Abe looked at her curiously, trying to figure out what the real story could be. Hikari used the same tone of voice his brother did when he was lying. He looked at Tajima and knew he could probably get the story out of him if he pressed enough into it.

"Well, welcome to the team!" Momoe said, standing before Hikari with a huge smile on her face. "You can help Chiyo out with all the managing, and I'll only have you step in if we really need it."

Hikari smiled and gave a relieved laugh. "That's sounds great to me!"

"I'm sure you know everyone?" Momoe said. "I'm the coach, there's Mihashi the pitcher, Abe the catcher, Tajima the third baseman and first base coach, Hanai our team Captain and right fielder, Sakaeguchi the second baseman, Izumi in the center field, Suyama as short stop, Mizutani as left fielder, Oki as the first baseman, and Nishihiro as our reserve player. There's Chiyo our manager, and Shiga-sensei as our teacher advisor."

The team lined up before her and took off their hats, bowing before her. "Nice to meet you!"

"Who are we meeting?" Hamada said, popping up from nowhere next to Hikari. He looked down at Hikari and smiled. "Hey! It's you! Are you helping the team?"

"It's good to see you again too Hamada," She said, standing up and giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Uh, Hikari," Chiyo said, stepping forward. "Maybe you should stop greeting people like that."

"Yeah! You can only greet specific people like that!" Tajima said with a pout. "Meaning me!"

"What? So I can't greet the team like that?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"Well, maybe Mihashi, it seems to make him feel better." Tajima said, seeing Mihashi perk up with a smile. "And Abe, well, you already kissed him on the mouth, so I don't see that it matters with him anymore."

"What? You kissed Abe?" Hamada shouted, making Hikari smack his mouth and quiet him quickly.

"It was an accident!" She said, bright red again.

Momoe was laughing as she quieted down Hamada and the argument going on. "Alright, alright. Well, we need to be on our best behavior now. As you all know, a baseball team usually has a sponsor that helps them with money." She sighed, "It took me awhile, but we finally got ourselves one."

The team cheered happily as they realize all they could do now that a sponsor was helping them with the money situation.

"Who is it?" Hanai asked her with a smile.

"I don't know why they're helping and sponsoring us, but the Hijiri Corporation is our sponsor." Momoe said with a bright, beaming smile.

"No way!" Oki said with wide eyes.

"Why would they sponsor us?" Suyama asked happy, yet confused.

"I don't know, I just know the new leader of the Corporation is coming today to watch us." Momoe told them seriously. "So I want you to show him what we can do and that it was a good decision to sponsor us."

"I heard this new leader was the sole heir to the one who made the whole Corporation." Shiga-sensei pointed out. "The heir had to wait until he was in high school to take over the Corporation."

"So he's our age? Cool!" Nishihiro said with a wide smile. "I'd like to see how great the leader is! To be our age and in charge of the whole Hijiri Corporation!"

A man in a black suit with dark maroon hair and greenish-yellow eyes walked up and looked at the team, coughing into his hand to catch their attention.

"Oh! What do you need?" Momoe asked, walking up to him, before looking him up and down and smiling brightly as her eyes shined. "You must be the new leader of the Hijiri Corporation! I can just tell!"

The man stared wide-eyed at her as she shook his hand, almost breaking it in her excitement and throwing him around she was shaking so hard. He took his hand away and looked at her with a guilty smile.

"Actually, I'm not," He told her, "I'm just the body guard."

"So he's already here?" She asked, looking around quickly for the spectator.

"Do you know how long it took me to find you when you walked off?" The man asked, looking straight past her.

Momoe raised an eyebrow and looked behind her, watching as Hikari rubbed her head in guilt and let out an innocent laugh.

"I wanted to see the team. But I'm part of the team now!" She said excitedly, walking over to the man. "Come on Boris! I want to play baseball again!"

"It's too dangerous mistress! You are the new leader of the Hijiri Corporation! You mustn't be wandering around!" He scolded her with a pointed look.

"It's not anyone's going to come after me," She sighed, "Besides, they didn't even know I was the leader until you just told them now,"

She looked behind her and saw the team drop their jaws in surprise at the new revelation. Momoe dropped her arms and kneeled before Hikari as she repeatedly apologized for her actions.

Hikari squatted down before Momoe and smiled, poking her shoulder and holding out her hand. "You're the one in charge Coach!" Momoe almost cried as she looked at Hikari with thanks. Hikari stood back up and looked at the team who were still dumbfounded. "I hope this doesn't change anything. I really do want to play baseball again. I only wanted to be a normal high school girl and play a sport. Please don't treat me any differently than you treat one another." She bowed to them, making them flustered and frozen.

"You're still Hikari!" Tajima said with a laugh, launching himself at her as he hugged her tightly.

Boris lifted him up in the air and gave him a raised eyebrow before Hikari hit Boris in the stomach to drop Tajima.

"While I'm at school you are not allowed to do anything! They're all friends! Besides you know Yuu!" She whined, scolding him in turn for his actions.

"As long as she doesn't get in the way," Abe sighed, patting her on the head.

Hikari looked at him surprised this time, not expecting them to recover so fast. She smiled and hugged him around his stomach.

"I think I'm going to like him," Hikari said, making Tajima cry dramatically.


	2. Growing Closer

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Oofuri. Not it's characters, plot, idea, nothing!**

**Claimer: I however do own Crystal, and any other OC that is in this story. If you would like to borrow please just ask.**

**I'm hoping to get some picture's up for this story! So please keep an eye out for it on my deviantart!**

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"Takaya!" Mrs. Abe shouted, catching Takaya's attention.

"Yeah?" He said, uninterested in what was going on.

"Help us get ready!" She shouted, giving him a strict look as he walked down the stairs to the kitchen.

"For what?" He asked confused as his mother ran around like a chicken without its head.

"I told you last week! We're going to have a new guest living with us for awhile! Just until the family's house is repaired." She told him with a sigh.

"The family is living with us?" He asked exasperated.

"No! Just the child! I believe it's a girl around your age." She said with a smile.

Abe knew that smile all too well; it meant she was going to play match-maker and try to get the two together in the time she was going to live with them. He shook his head and walked into the living-room, seeing his little brother Shun playing video games and ignoring his frantic mother.

"Did she really tell us?" Takaya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but she was running around like she is now when she told us." Shun said, biting his lip as he concentrated on the game. "I'm kind of excited to meet this new guest."

_Ding Dong_

"That's her!" Misae (Abe's mom) shouted happily as she clapped her hands. "Everyone into the living-room."

Akaya heard his mom's footsteps echo down the entranceway as she opened the door, shouting a welcoming for the new guest who gave a small laugh.

"Come, come! Meet my family! It's such an honor to have you staying with us." She said, ushering the poor girl from the door and towards the living-room.

"Please, treat me like anyone else. I'm indebted to you for letting me stay here with you." The girl said, making Takaya sit up straight and peer around the corner with realizing eyes.

Hikari came around the corner with his mom; she was holding a small sports bag that was her belongings.

"This is Mr. Abe, Shun, and my eldest son…" She began introducing.

"Takaya, I presume?" Hikari said with a smile, making Misae smile in joy and excitement. "It's good to see you again."

"You've met already?" Misae said happily.

"Yes, I'm on his baseball team. I'm helping the manager." She told his mom, making her almost jump in place at the joy she was feeling.

"Sorry, she's always like this when there's a girl coming to the house." Mr. Abe said, leaning back and taking a drink of his water.

"It's alright." Hikari said with a reassuring smile.

"I've always wanted a daughter! Always being in a house full of boys is no fun!" She said, looking around Hikari as if she were a present. "Come! Let's get you to your room!"

Misae quickly ushered her up the stairs and to a vacant room. Clothes were put up, and Hikari left the room as it was, not sure how to make it her own for the time being.

"You knew?" Takaya asked, leaning against her door frame.

"Kind of. I didn't know it was you specifically." Hikari admitted, glancing at him. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone on the team."

"Oh! The food! I have to get back to it!" Misae said frantically remembering the chicken she had in the oven.

"Let me help," Hikari offered, rushing down the stairs after Misae.

She grabbed a pan and began to cook the chicken in a light broth, adding seasoning and rice, along with a few vegetables such as peas, corn, green beans in another pan. She tore apart the chicken once the broth disappeared and expertly took the bones out of it, leaving the meat in small shreds.

"Woah!" Shun said, peeking around her as she moved the pan rapidly, causing the food to flip in the air and back into the pan. "Where did you learn that?"

"My mother showed me when I was younger," Hikari giggled, doing it again, but higher so he could see it much better. "It's done!"

"This is magnificent!" Misae said, cupping her cheek in awe as she munched away at the meal.

"It's really easy to make too," Hikari said, smiling as she put another mouthful in.

"Well done," Mr. Abe said, almost not having enough room in his mouth to fit more.

"Plus it's good for athletes. So Abe is getting the protein, vegetables, and nutrients he needs." Hikari said, pointing her chopsticks at the ingredients as she explained.

"Abe?" Shun laughed, "You're referring to all of us technically."

Hikari covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Sorry! It's what everyone calls him."

"Takaya is fine," Takaya said, eating his dinner slowly.

"Uh," Hikari blushed, nodding her head. "Sure, yeah."

"Abe! Throw it over here!" Tajima shouted, waving his arms around.

"Yuu-kun!" Hikari shouted as her immature friend tripped over himself to try and do a stunt move as he was catching the ball. "You gotta be careful!"

"I wanted to see if it'll work!" He smiled. "You used to do it all the time."

Hikari raised an eyebrow and grabbed the ball, tossing it back to Takaya. "Oi! Takaya!" She slapped her mouth quickly as she looked at Takaya with wide eyes. "I m-mean A-Abe! Sorry!"

"Takaya hm?" Tajima said, creeping up on Hikari slowly, wiggling his eyebrows, and giving her a suspicious look.

"Oh shut it! Do you want me to show you how to do a stunt?" She asked, knowing it was going to divert his attention.

"Yes!" He shouted happily, catching the others attentions.

Hikari positioned herself at first, nodding to Takaya to throw the ball again. She ran backwards quickly before jumping up into the air, catching the ball, and then succeeding in landing a back flip in the process.

"An easier one," She continued, having Takaya throw once more.

She ran over to the fence, ran up it quickly and caught the ball, pushing off the fence and landing on the ground gently.

"Wow!" Tajima exclaimed, running to his friend and taking the ball and glove.

"Practice is almost over," Hanai said, gathering everyone's attentions. "Tests are coming out soon! Should we have another group study?"

"I can help with that," Hikari said, turning her head and looking at Hanai with a smile. "I'm pretty good in all subjects."

"I think I've given up with arguing against you." Hanai said with a sigh and a scratch to the back of his head.

"Yeah! Hikari is going to tutor me again!" Tajima shouted with a jump into the air.

"Is it alright with all of you?" She asked them, raising her eyebrow and giving an innocent smile.

"Sure," Mihashi said, making Hikari surprised at first, but then smile at him and give him a hug. "We….W-we could g-g-g-g… Go to my house!"

"Really?" She asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling with awe. "You'd let e come to your house?"

Mihashi nodded his head like a bobble head as his mouth opened and closed in his normal beak form, trying to find the right thing to say to her.

"You act as if you've never been to someone's house." Sakaeguchi said with a chuckle.

"Aside from Tajima," She gave a quick cut to Takaya. "I haven't been in anyone else's house who was a friend of mine."

The others stared at her as if she were some foreigner that told them she has never seen sunlight.

"What?" She said confused. "Let's go! I wanna see how Ren practices anyway!" She smiled at him again, watching as he smiled back slowly.

She let Mihashi show her the way to his house. It was only supposed to be a few of them in the study group, but it somehow ended up with the whole team following after Mihashi for the studying.

"Wow! Such a nice house!" Hikari gaped up at his house as he opened the door.

"P-please c-c-come in," He said, holding the door open for the rest of them.

"Let's get started," Hanai said, plopping down on the floor and taking out his books, interrupting Hikari before she can start changing the subject and asking questions.

"What's the worst subject?" Hikari asked, sighing and sitting down next to Takaya who was at the head of the table.

The others looked at one another, wondering what was the worst for all of them.

"Okay, how about Writing?" She began asking.

Mihashi, Tajima, Oki, Hanai and Sakaeguchi raised their hands. She tallied them down, hoping this will be a great result.

"English?"

A few raised their hands. One by one she went through the subjects they had and realized Tajima and Mihashi were raising their hands to each one, as if it were an accomplishment that they were finishing.

"I never knew you were truly this stupid," She grumbled, lifting her head and glaring at Tajima. "Yuu-kun! You idiot!"

"Let's start with math." She said with a sigh, pulling out the math notebook and reading through it. "Okay, how about this. If (x-2) =8 and (x+6) = 16 and you divide these two by one another; what do you get? Write down the answer and work it out in your notebook. I'll grade it when you're done."

Hikari looked over the notebooks everyone handed her, and saw that there were only a few who didn't understand the simple problem. She reached Tajima's and Mihashi's and her head fell hard to the table; a sweat mark appearing on her temple in disbelief.

"How is it that you couldn't get this?" She said with a sigh. "Look, on (x-2)=8 you add 2 to both sides. It cancel's out the minus 2. So you end up with x = 10. On (x+6)=16 you subtract six from each side. Leaving you with x= 10. Now divide the two problems and you get 1 either way. Understand?"

"Woah! Thanks!" Tajima said happily, taking his notebook.

"That was awesome!" Mihashi said shyly, taking his notebook carefully and looking over her solving.

"Pretty smart," Hanai said, taking her notebook and looking over every subject and her answers to them that were correct. "Do you study?"

"Not really." She said with a shrug, watching as the others quickly passed her notebook around and wrote down the problems, answers, and notes.

"So, why come to Nishiura?" Izumi asked, finishing his up and passing it on.

"Because Yuu-kun was here!" She told them with a smile.

"I doubt that was the reason you moved. Did your parents change jobs or something?" Hanai said with a scoff.

"Nope. I moved here on my own because I wanted to be around someone I knew at a school." She said, tilting back on her hands.

"Move on your own?" Oki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Un," She nodded.

"What about your parents? Your siblings? Your family?" Sakaeguchi said in disbelief.

"Dead," She said simply, looking up at the ceiling.

The room fell silent as she blinked and sat up, looking at them. She smiled brightly suddenly, waving the answer off quickly.

"Sorry, I have an uncle. He's taking care of me." She said quickly, diverting the ominous mood. "Hey Ren-kun, can I make some tea?"

"Uh, yeah, go ahead." He said, pointing to where it was located at in the kitchen. He walked back to the table and sat down.

"Her family is dead?" Suyama asked with wide eyes.

"They were killed in an accident. A tunnel collapsing." Tajima said, passing on the notebook quietly. "That man, he doesn't deserve to be called her uncle."

"What do you mean?" Takaya asked, realizing this was the moment he could find out answers.

"He's not even blood related to her. He was a friend of her parents, that so happened was nearby when they were deciding who would take her." Tajima said, surprising everyone as his anger grew and his eyes darkened. "He was never there for her. Ever since her family died, she has always been alone in an empty house."

"Shouldn't her uncle be there?" Mihashi asked, fidgeting in his spot.

"The only time he was there he…." Tajima stopped suddenly, biting his cheek as he shut himself up.

"He what?" Takaya pushed.

"Nothing," Tajima said, looking at Hikari with sad eyes.

Takaya looked over and saw her grab her shoulder and move it around, trying to get the slight pinch that was in it.

"Did he refuse to let her play baseball?" Hanai asked with a chuckle. "So what? Not many parents want their little girl to play baseball."

"It's his fault she can't play baseball anymore!" Tajima hissed at Hanai, making the captain flinch back and fall onto his hands. "He was always hurting her! Hitting her! Pushing her! But she always just smiled and passed it off as an accident that she fell or ran into something. I didn't know what to do!" Tajima started breathing heavily as he clenched his fists and glared at Hanai. "She was always escaping to my house and to the park to play baseball. When he found out he made sure she would never play it again. He argued with her not to play, and when she refused him, he twisted her arm too much, and pulled too hard. He tore her muscle and cracked her shoulder blade, and broke her collar bone with the force he used."

"No way," Izumi said, covering his mouth in disgust.

"That man doesn't deserve to be near her! All she wanted to do was make everyone happy, yet he treated her like trash. I couldn't ever do anything." Tajima, turned his narrowed eyes to the table as he clenched his teeth. "All she ever did was smile. She was always trying to make others happy by smiling. Yet I couldn't even help her. She came here to escape from him; to save herself."

"That's enough Yuu."

Tajima looked up quickly to find Hikari standing there holding the teapot on a plate with some cups. She walked over and set the plate down gently.

She looked up and smiled at the gently. "Sorry, seems you had to learn about my bad past."

"Hikari," Tajima said, watching her eyes grow dull, yet her smile remain on her face.

Everyone else could see the pain behind her eyes that she was trying to hide behind that smile, yet none of them could do a thing but watch in surprise and shock.

"I think I'm going to get some air." She told them with that smile.

She pivoted on her heel quickly and walked out the door. The second the door was closed she slumped; letting the smile disappear off her face. She breathed in deeply, letting the cool air rush into her lungs and calm her down.

"I think she's done for the day," Takaya said, standing up and grabbing his bag. "I'll check on her and take her home."

"How do you know where she lives?" Tajima asked worriedly, taking a step towards Takaya. "Is he living with her? Is she in danger?"

"She's fine." He told Tajima, slipping on his shoes.

"How do you know?" Tajima asked stubbornly.

"Calm down Tajima!" Hanai said, tugging on Tajima's arm to stop him from charging Takaya.

"Because she's living with me," He told them finally, not caring anymore if they find out she is.

The team's jaws drop and voices begin to shout as Takaya walks out the door and ignores their questions. He looks left and right, wondering which way she could have gone. He sees a flash of gold and follows after it, knowing it had to be her.

Hikari was walking slowly as she kicked at a rock. Her attention seemed to be up in the sky as she walked along the path, unknowing of where she was heading. Takaya caught up with her and placed his hand on the small of her back, snapping her out of her memories.

"You alright?" He asked, raising and eyebrow at her.

"I'm fine," She said with a nod. "It's just been a long time since anyone's said it out loud."

"So it's true…" Takaya said, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked along by her.

"Yeah…" She said silently.

They walked side by side for awhile, not really going into detail about what had just happened, or what had happened in her past.

"I know you want to ask questions. Go ahead and ask." Hikari said. Her nerves were vibrating in fear and anticipation at what he would ask.

Takaya glanced over and saw the fear in her eyes. He reached over and patted her head gently. "Don't look so scared. I won't ask if you don't want me to."

Hikari glanced up at him as he took his hand away, seeing the calm, collected look on his face as he watched the path ahead of them. She smiled and linked her arm around his, feeling her mood lighten instantly around him.

"Did you guys have fun?" Misae asked them with a welcoming smile.

"Yeah! It was interesting to see how much everyone knew!" Hikari said with a smile back to her.

"You're so cute!" Misae said, hugging Hikari's head to her chest lovingly.

Hikari stood stock still as she took in the surprise reaction. She relaxed and smiled, hugging Misae's arm with a warm embrace.

"Let's eat first, and then get ready for bed!" She said with a smile, happy that Hikari was morphing into the family easily.

Food was eaten; baths were taken; and clothes were changed as the Abe family was getting ready for the next day. Hikari opened her bedroom door and peaked out into the hallway, seeing the coast was clear. She quietly padded down the hallway and stood in front of a plain door.

"Takaya," She whispered, pushing on the door slightly. "Takaya?" She asked again, peaking in slightly and seeing Takaya lying there on his back, gently asleep.

She stepped into his room quietly and shut the door, hoping the light wouldn't carry into the hallway. She switched off the light and pulled the covers up over him. He grumbled in his sleep and pulled the covers up. She couldn't help but notice how innocent he looked when he was asleep. His shoulders were so broad, and his body so lean. His arms suddenly looked inviting to her as he faced her on his side.

Her hand reached out automatically and lifted the covers. She shuffled in next to him, feeling his warmth engulf her instantly as she put the covers over her. His arm was her pillow as she touched her forehead to his shoulder. His breath was rushing over her cheek and neck, making her shiver in response, and her heart began to beat erratically as her breathing quickened. She hadn't felt this close to anyone for a long time.

An arm tightened on her suddenly as her body was pulled close to Takaya's. "What are you doing in here?"

She let out a small squeak as she peeked up and his lips were there in front of her eyes. She glanced up more and saw his intense stare striking into her deeply.

"Sorry…I…" She fumbled for an explanation. Yet she couldn't find one for why she climbed into his bed suddenly. She just had the sudden urge to be near him. "I wanted to be close to someone."

Takaya sighed, making her open her eyes in surprise. He pushed her head back down, and placed his cheek on her forehead. His arm draped loosely around her comfortably, leaving her pushed against his body and the warmth to surround her.

"Just sleep for now then," He told her.

She let the shock pass over her slowly as her body relaxed and she listened to his breathing next to her ear. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her hand, making her doze lightly from the rhythm before completely succumbing to the sleep that was overtaking her.


End file.
